Investigators said they were called to Korte Elementary School on Friday on a report of possible child abuse.

Deputies went to the girl's home in the 1900 block of Hazel and talked to the girl's father, Phillips, and his girlfriend, Chaney. The girl was taken to a hospital.

According to court documents, Phillips told the investigators that the girl was kept in the unfinished basement because she could not control her bladder. She had been using a blanket for toilet paper.

Court records indicate that Phillips told deputies that he bathes the girl "every five days or so" because she doesn't like to bathe. He also told investigators that he doesn't regularly wash the girl's clothes because he doesn't own a functioning washing machine.

Phillips allegedly told authorities that he "popped" the girl in the mouth and whooped her as punishment for a recent suspension from school.

Chaney claimed in an interview with investigators that the girl prefers to be in the basement because she doesn't want to be around the family.

Chaney said the girl had been sleeping on an air mattress since February, according to court documents.

She also claimed that she contracted a yeast infection from the girl because they used the same toilet. Since the infection, the girl was forced to go to the bathroom outside the house, court records said.

Dr. Terra Frazier of Children's Mercy Hospital said potty training is a well-documented trigger for abuse.

"The person who perpetrated the abuse will tell us, 'I was frustrated. They had peed on themselves, they had pooped on themselves,'" Frazier said.

She said patience, positive reinforcement and even a support system ready to step in and help is key.

"Showing and demonstrating, through your actions, what you want is so much more effective, I think, than just negative reinforcement such as putting them away," Frazier said.

Neighbors said they had been concerned about the girl, whom they said they didn't often see.

"She was very very thin and she was about 3 feet high, she wasn't very tall either. She looked very petite for her age, definitely," said Angel Skinner. "Every time you tried to get her attention, she just looked down and walked away like she was going to get in trouble."

"It makes me completely sick," said neighbor Michelle Wright. "The one time I did see the kids, and they were on the porch, was early morning and they looked like they were in dirty clothes and nothing was washed."

Still, they said the charges were surprising.

"I would have never ever imagined something like this would have gone on around here," Wright said.

Neighbors said there were instances in the past few months where the girl was outside waiting for the school bus in the cold more than an hour early. They said they invited her inside to warm up.

Anyone who suspects abuse can make anonymous tips to child abuse hotlines. In Missouri, the number is 800-392-3738. In Kansas, the number is 800-922-5330.

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